Iniquity the Caufe of Unbelief.

A

SER MON

PREACHED AT

LINCOLN'S IN N,

NOVEMBER II, 1759.

ST. MATT. Chap. xxiv. Ver. 12.

AND BECAUSE INIQUITY SHALL ABOUND, THE LOVE OF MANY SHALL WAX COLD.

HESE words are to be found in the

Tramous Prophefy of Jefus, in which

the predictions of his first coming to judge the Jews, in the destruction of Jerufalem; and his fecond coming to judge mankind, in the deftruction of the World and renovation of all things; are interwoven with one another.

And

And in these words is foretold that general apoftacy from the Faith, of which the Sacred Writers have fo frequently forewarned the faithful, as the characteristic mark of the latter times-The love of many [the adherence of the greater part to the Faith] all wax cold: The caufe of this apoftacy is foretold likewife, because Iniquity Shall abound.

This melancholy but important truth may be fupported by confiderations drawn, ift, from the nature of things; and 2dly, from the experience of our own times.

Though nothing be more common than to fee men's opinions and practices at variance; because the judgment draws one way, and the paffions another; and because, generally, men are neither masters of one nor of the other, to take them up and lay them down at pleasure; and fo have it not in their power to fuit their opinions to their practices, or their practices to their opinions, as they fee fit: yet this contrariety and oppofition is a very uneasy situation; and the more fo, from the difficulty of removing it. Hence the various arts and

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contrivances of the wicked heart, to delude itself, in procuring a fet of principles, that may support Men, at least give them no uneafiness, in their practices.

But if the received principles or opinions (such as those of the Christian faith) not only fhew the falfhood, the folly, and the abfurdity of vice; and that it is not only deftructive of our rational nature here, but of our very being hereafter; then the wicked man, who is refolved not to part with his vices, and yet finds himfelf croffed and difturbed by these opinions, which he had imbibed in his education, and afterwards. approved in his judgment, will never reft till he has perverted that judgment, by fophiftical reasonings against the truth of his opinions. And fophiftical reafonings, at beft, even when feconded by a willing mind, always carrying their fufpicions along with them, the felf-deluded victim to his vices is ftill for trying their force upon his acquaintance, in order to establish them more firmly in himfelf. Hence that prepofterous zeal, obferved in modern unbelievers, for making converts; which has

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always appeared to pious obfervers fo extremely monftrous; but which, we find, has a very obvious cause in the very nature of infidelity itself.

Thus we fee, how truly Iniquity is affigned as the cause of that general apoftacy from the Christian faith, predicted to bẹ the Character of these latter days. And because iniquity fhall abound, the love of many fball wax cold.

And here, before I proceed to my fecond head, it may not be amifs to obferve, how much this check upon vice is to the honour of the Chriftian Faith; a check fo great, that vice cannot proceed in its course, till this obftruction to it be removed. In the Pagan and Mahometan Religions, both of antient and modern times, wicked men were never under this neceffity: nor have we ever heard that they quarreled with their Religion, because they wanted to enjoy their vices in peace. Their opinions and practices fubfifted together in a very friendly manner. And we find, much nearer home, that those men who have quarreled with their baptifmal Faith for the fake of their

vices, profefs themselves to be the followers of natural Religion; which being what each man pleases to make it, it is very easy for them to prevent its becoming troublesome to their vices; and is therefore a very commodious, as it is a very reputable, profeffion of Religion.

But I now anticipate the fubject of the fecond head I proposed to speak to in fupport and explanation of my text; which was, that the experience of the present times amply confirms its truth, that abounding of iniquity is the true caufe why the love of many for the Christian faith is waxed cold: or of that general defection from Chriftianity which has now spread itself throughout all orders and degrees of men.

A mere general view of the state of things is alone fufficient to evidence this truth. When was there fo great a defection from the Religion of our Forefathers? and when did profligate iniquity fo much abound? The estimate of the quantity of national vice is indeed hard to make. But this we may be affured of, that when Vice ftalks triumphant, and without difguife; when apologies